Page 96 of Beneath the Thorned Crown

"You’re not thinking about refusing me, are you?"

My voice is smooth, teasing, but my chest is tight.

I can hear it in my own tone—the unspoken depth behind the words, the quiet, desperate demand I don’t even want to admit to myself.

My stomach clenches.

I knew this was a risk. Knew that offering her this ring meant giving her the choice to walk away.

I’ve spent my entire life making people afraid of me, making them bend, break, kneel.

But Isabella?

I don’t want her afraid.

I want her willing.

She licks her lips, her voice quiet.

"It looks expensive… I can’t take—"

I cut her off, my grip on her hand tightening.

"This isn’t just a ring, Isabella. It’s a symbol. It’s a message."

Her head tilts slightly. She’s listening.

"If you wear it, everyone will know where your loyalties are."

My voice is steady, but my heart is pounding. I keep my face blank, but inside, everything is unraveling.

And they’ll know who you belong to. I don’t say it this time. But she hears it anyway.

Her lips part slightly, an unreadable shift in her expression.

This is the moment. The moment she either accepts what we are or walks away. Would I let her? Would I even survive it if she did?

I take her hand, lifting it slowly.

She doesn’t resist. I press the ring against her finger, sliding it on. It fits perfectly. A sharp breath escapes her lips as she stares at it.

And I wait. For her to take it off. For her to say it’s too much. For her to tell me that she doesn’t want to be mine. Because why the hell would she? Why would anyone want to belong to a monster? A man who’s shed more blood than he’s willing to admit? A man who doesn’t ask, only takes? A man who will never be good, never be whole, never be the kind of person she deserves?

I tilt her chin up, forcing her to look at me.

My voice is low, rough. "You’re mine, Isabella."

Her heartbeat hammers against my chest.

She doesn’t say no. She doesn’t say yes. But she doesn’t take the ring off, either. And for now, that’s enough.

I pull her against me, my arms wrapping around her waist, my lips grazing the curve of her jaw.

I feel her exhale against my skin, feel the warmth of her breath as she leans into me.

She hasn’t left.

The city stretches before us, ours for the taking.

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